Walter Herschel Beech
January 30, 1891 – November 29, 1950
Born in Pulaski, Tennessee on January 30, 1891, Walter Beech started flying in 1905, at age 14, when he built a glider of his own design. Then, after flying for the United States Army during World War I, he joined the Swallow Airplane Company as a test pilot. He later became general manager of the company. In 1924 he and Clyde Cessna formed Travel Air Manufacturing Company. When the company merged with Curtiss-Wright, Beech became vice-president.
In 1932, he and his wife, Olive Ann Mellor, co-founded Beech Aircraft Company. Their early Beechcraft planes won the Bendix Trophy.
Beech was familiar with every aspect of the aircraft industry from the drawing board—to the test field—to the boardroom. Walter was president of the company; Olive Ann was secretary-treasurer. The company's first objective was to build a five-seat biplane having the interior luxury of a fine sedan, top speed of 200 m.p.h., landing speed no higher than 60, non-stop range of 1,000 miles, easy control, and sound aerodynamic characteristics. The competition considered these specifications unattainable. On November 14, 1932, Model 17R made its initial test flight and the impossible standards set by Beech had been met.
During World War II, Beech Aircraft produced more than 7,400 military planes. The twin Beech AT-7/C-45 trained more than 90 percent of the U.S. Army Air Forces navigator/bombardiers and 50 percent of its multi-engine pilots.
Beech left a legacy not measured in dollars, but in the commitment of his former employees to build an aircraft that would meet his high standards for reliability, durability, and marketability. He died November 29, 1950. After his death, Olive Ann served as president and Beech Aircraft Corporation continued to grow to more than one million square feet of production space, consisting of 17 subsidiaries and 10 production plants that produced aircraft for personal, business, and military use. During her nearly 20 years at the helm, sales tripled. Beech supplied products for NASA's Gemini, Apollo, and space shuttle programs.
Beech and his wife are buried at Old Mission Mausoleum in Wichita, Kansas.
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